Paper Airplanes
by booknity
Summary: Bopal AU. Opal sits next to a guy with a fear of flying on their way home for the holidays. What starts as a normal meeting turns into something more. Will be updated once a week at the latest. Please review. I haven't done an AU before so nailing the characters' personalities and habits in a different setting is new for me. Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra, surprise!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Head In the Clouds

Bolin leaned his head back against the seat and attempted to focus on the white noise. People jamming too big bags into overhead compartments and annoyed flight attendants forcing cheer into their voice was enough to keep him calm for now. He'd only been flying once before, but that's all he needed to know he didn't like it. He dreaded it. How could a huge junk of metal defy gravity for hours at a time? It didn't make sense to him, even more so whenever they experience turbulence.

Taking a deep breath, Bolin opened his eyes to observe the other passengers on the plane. People watching was one of his favorite past times. He even made up stories for some of the strangers. There was a young mom struggling to hold her toddler while managing her carry on. Bolin pictured the young boy running into his grandma's arms when they landed at the next airport. The middle aged man who was typing, brow furrowed, on a Mac was probably a writer suffering through a mid life crisis. He had published two award-winning novels, but success was lost due to a severe case of writer's block.

Bolin smirked, glad that his game was keeping his mind off of the upcoming flight. He then felt someone tap him on the shoulder.

. . .

"Excuse me, I'm seat 14A," Opal said, gesturing towards the seat next to the young man.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, looking a little caught off guard. He unbuckled his seat belt (_why buckle your seat belt when the plane is nowhere near ready to depart? _Opal wondered) and hastily stood up.

"Do you need help with your bag?" he asked, wide eyed.

"No, I can handle it. Thanks for the offer though," Opal replied, shoving her bag into the overhead compartment.

She slid past him to her window seat. Opal greatly preferred the window seat whenever she flew, which was often. It was wondrous to see the world from thousands of miles above the ground!

The young man sat back down and quickly re-buckled his seat belt. Opal got a sideways glance of her trip buddy. He had jet-black hair, similar to her own, and it was messed up in the back. She couldn't tell if this was intentional or not, but it suited him well. He was dressed simply in jeans, a green sweatshirt and a black leather jacket thrown over it. What really caught her interest were his eyes. They were the deepest green, brought out amazingly by the green of his sweatshirt. She had never seen such brilliant eyes before.

During her note taking, it also finally clicked why he was such a stickler about his seat belt. Opal had flown enough to notice the signs of a passenger who was afraid of flying. By the looks of it, afraid was an understatement for this guy.

…

Bolin discreetly wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, not sure if it was because of the flight anymore or the girl sitting next to him. She had emerald eyes and smelled intoxicatingly of flowers. Spirits was she pretty. She also seemed unconcerned about that fact that she was about to fly at an alarming rate far above ground where they would surely die if the plane crashed. In fact, she looked _pleased _about it.

_Maybe this is the type of distraction I need _Bolin thought.

"What's your name?" Bolin asked.

"Opal," she said smiling.

"Wow that's a beautiful name!" Bolin blurted out. _Dang it Bolin, _he secretly scolded himself. He was normally a smooth operator.

"Th-thank you," Opal replied. Bolin caught the blush that spread over her cheeks. A bronze finger tucked some midnight dark hair behind her ear. "What's your name?"

"Bolin"

"Well it's nice to meet you, is this your first time flying?"

"Unfortunately, no," Bolin frowned.

"Why unfortunately?" Opal asked.

"Well, my first time I was excited. We encountered some rough air and, I don't know. After that, I've always been nervous to fly," Bolin explained. The first rule of flirting was to impress the girl, and Bolin was pretty sure that spilling his phobia wasn't impressive. However, her sincerity melted any front he could have constructed.

"Ah, turbulence isn't my idea of a fun time either," Opal agreed. "I got used to it, but I always bring books for comfort."

Bolin had seen the book in her lap, but know he noticed the three other novels that were in the seat pocket in front of her.

"Maybe I'll try that next time, my brother loves reading so I'm sure he'd be ecstatic if I asked to borrow some books," Bolin said.

He'd been so invested in her that Bolin didn't realize that the pilot had notified everyone it was time for departure. The movement of the plane startled Bolin, but he buried that down real quick. No way was he going to be a shaking mess in front of her. He reminded himself to take steady breaths and held onto the armrest.

…

_Brother?_ Opal bit her lip to hide her grin. Family was an easy topic for her to converse about.

"You have a brother? Older or younger?" she inquired.

"Yeah, Mako, my only sibling. He's older by a couple years. He's the reason I'm flying out. He's a cop so I have to go to his place for the holidays in case they need him," Bolin said.

Opal was a little surprised that he was the younger one, maybe because she was using his psychical size to make that judgment. It was hard for her to imagine him the little one when he was built like a brick house. Although, Bolin did seem easy going and it was usually the older siblings that were a little more rigid. At least that's how it was in her family. That's when it clicked for Opal.

"Wait, he's a cop? My aunt Lin is the chief of police," Opal said.

"Lin's you aunt?!," Bolin's eyebrows shot up so high that his forehead crinkled. "Wow, I guess I didn't peg her having much of a family. She doesn't talk about it- I mean, oh gosh I didn't mean that in a bad way. She's just a private person," Bolin stumbled through. It was his turn to blush furiously now.

Just then, Opal felt the force of take off push her further into her seat. Bolin's face went pale, his knuckles also going white as his hand latched tighter onto the armrest. This was all so very endearing and strange to Opal. Here was this guy, big enough to probably push this plane, and he had the demeanor of a little kid. He was like a character from one of her books, but real. Opal was starting to like real.

_Whoa girl, slow down _Opal mentally lectured herself. Once the plane had reached the intended altitude, she saw Bolin's muscles relaxing, but only barely. She wanted to take his mind off of the prospect of crashing.

…

_Why don't you put your other foot in your mouth while you're at it _Bolin scolded himself. She was the only thing that could hold his attention long enough for him not to picture the plane spiraling down to the solid ground. He needed to be careful not to turn her off. She didn't look offended though; she looked down at her lap solemnly.

"No you're right. Aunt Lin isn't a family person, which is ironic considering how large our family is," Opal said.

Bolin watched a wistful expression play out on her face. How terrible would that be? Having a family member you wanted around who chose not to be. Bolin might only have Mako, but they were close. Considering he was the one who brought up the sore subject, he thought it would be best to be the one to redirect it.

"She seems to be married to her job. I guess that's good considering her job does involve protecting people and keeping crime on the low but that would be hard to not see her often. So exactly how many siblings do you have?"

"Four. I'm the only girl," Opal said.

"_Four?_ Wow, holidays must be something," Bolin's voice upbeat.

"Mmhmm, they're something," Opal replied. He could tell that her meaning of "something" was different than his "something". Even though Bolin was more than content to have Mako, he'd dream of having a big family. Holidays would be the type he'd seen on the commercials. There would be hugs galore. They'd catch up, tell jokes, play pai show, and the meal would serve more than two.

Bolin pondered whether he should press the issue Opal was hiding, but the plane shook fiercely, rattling his thoughts. The food he'd eaten for lunch churned in his stomach. This plane couldn't land fast enough.

…

Opal was rescued from the dreadful thinking about another holiday with her no show aunt by the rough air. The jostling was no doubt the reason behind Bolin's current state. His face had turned a nasty shade, and Opal feared that he wasn't going to make it until touch down. She wished she had put some pills in her bag, anything to curb his sensitively.

She was caught between wanting the plane to hurry up and land so that Bolin would be relieved of his fear, but she also desperately desired to keep talking to him. The guys she'd had the displeasure of having a "conversation" with either tried too hard or were fake enough to leave a stale taste in her mouth. Opal enjoyed nothing more than when someone would cut the crap and be themselves. Bolin came off true, and the way he handled the topic of her aunt brought out a down-to-earth nature.

Sympathy flooded Opal when she saw that Bolin had now leaned his head back, eyes closed, and the slight tremor of his hands. Opal was confident, but boldness didn't move her hand to cover his, despite her care to. Whether he was easy to talk to or not, she was acutely aware that she had unnecessarily discussed subjects that were private. For spirit's sake, she'd just met him! Yet, she couldn't reduce the yearning to keep talking to him. That's when Opal developed a plan. She dug into the seat pocket, found one of her favorite adventure novels, and carefully placed it on his lap.

…

Bolin dared not open his eyes. The colors that danced on the back of his closed lids were intense enough. The bright lights that illuminated the cabin would put him over the edge. The sounds of people chattering sounded muffled. Like he was submerged in water. He despised the fact that his pointless fear of flying was interrupting the conversation with Opal. Bolin figured it would be better if he altogether stopped talking than attempt to. With his luck, his digested lunch would come out instead of words. Not the best way to make a good impression on a girl.

Feeling a soft pressure on his left leg, he cracked an eye open to see a red bound book had appeared on his lap. Opal. Her kind-heartedness had known that reading was an appropriate past time for him, rather than continue their discussion.

Bolin slowly straightened himself up and took up the book in his hands. The golden letters that were supposed to be the title were worn to the point that it was unreadable. He flipped it open to see what the title page said, but someone had scribbled over it.

"My dad gives me a book every now and then without a cover or title. That way I can't judge what it's going to be about," Opal explained, noticing Bolin's puzzlement.

Bolin nodded in response, and opened to chapter one.

…

Opal was able to devote attention to her book now, but she'd sneak a peek at Bolin once in a while. She was giddy to find that he was engrossed in her book. It was peaceful. Even though they weren't speaking, just his presence as they read warmed her insides. _And when he realizes he won't have it finished by the time we land, he'll ask to borrow it. Which will lead to him having to return it, resulting in a meet up. _

Just as she'd suspected, the pilot announced that they would be arriving soon. Bolin's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. Opal bit her lip again to halt from grinning at her minor genius plan.

The touch down went seamless, and the passengers were soon hustling about to secure their carry-ons. It was like an unspoken race to see who could get off the plane first. The reward being either loved ones waiting at the gates or the freedom of being in a new city.

"Hey, thanks for the book! I had no clue a story this epic even existed, but I'm sure glad I know now," awe in Bolin's voice.

"No problem, it's one of my favorites," Opal replied.

"Well, here you go then," Bolin said holding out the novel for Opal to take.

_I should have known. A plan like that would only happen in a story _Opal thought disappointedly. Then again, she'd read plenty of tales of how the heroine took fate into her own hands.

"You know, if you like it that much, and since we'll be in the same city, you can borrow it," Opal offered, praying he'd take the bait.

"Oh you would let me do that? I'll take good care of it! Mako will be through the roof that we'll be able to talk about a book. Thanks Opal, that's really nice of you!"

"No problem, I'll just get it from you when you're finished."

"Awesome, here let me get your number!"

Opal did a private victory dance in her head as he pulled out his cell phone. She remained collected as she gave him her seven digits, and he flashed a big smile.

"Well I ought to get going, my family's waiting to pick me up," Opal said. "Enjoy the rest of the book!"

"Will do! Happy holidays!" Bolin replied, nestling the book carefully into his duffel bag.

With a thank you to the stewardess, Opal parted ways from Bolin. She'd never been more thankful for a book in her life.

…

Bolin nodded to the pilot as he exited the plane. Normally he'd make a snide remark about the turbulence but not this time. It had been the best flight he'd ever had. _I need to finish this book, and fast _he thought as he saw Mako waving from the baggage claim.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **

**Just wanted to say thank you for the likes, reviews, and follows! This chapter is shorter, but I had to divide it up so that Chapter 3 isn't too terribly long. I decided that the setting would take place in Chicago, since I imagine it being about the same size as Republic City, and I'm more familiar with it than New York or any other city. Pabu also had to be tweaked a little since this is a modern AU. Hope you enjoy it! **

Feet On the Ground

"Welcome home sweetie," Opal's mother spread her arms open and Opal gladly ran into them. Each of the members of the Beifong family had their own interests that spread them across the country. Despite the distance, they had all remained devoted to their family, never missing a holiday or important event.

Opal hugged her father next, and then her brother Batarr Jr.

"You've grown taller," she remarked, stepping back so that she didn't need to strain her neck to look up at him.

"And you've packed more than enough books as usual," he replied, heaving her suitcase into the taxi.

"All the more to correct you with," Opal said in a singsong voice.

"We'll see, you owe me a trivia rematch, and I've been playing with dad for the last week," Bataar Jr. said.

"Losing actually," Bataar Sr. whispered to a giggling Opal.

Everyone squeezed into the taxi and Bataar Sr. informed the driver of their address from the passenger seat.

"Huan sends his love. He wanted to be here, but there was some crisis he had to take care of before his art show on Friday," Su said.

"Isn't there always," Opal joked. "When are Wing and Wei arriving?"

"Sometime tomorrow depending on when their practice ends," Su said.

Wing and Wei had gone to college on a baseball scholarship, Wing a pitcher and Wei a catcher. They made quite the team. Opal was meaning to ask them when the season started so that she could attend a game.

The cab driver zipped in between interstate lanes. Opal saw the John Hancock building in the distance. She loved Chicago. Her parents had raised her here, and while she was happy attending the University of Virginia, she missed her city. Huan was enrolled in art classes here, and had also secured a room for his upcoming art show. He'd been too busy to write or call, but Opal's parents had told her how significant this show would be for Huan's career. Opal understood, but she could barely wait for Wing and Wei to come home so that she'd have allies to tease Huan with.

"So how was your flight?" her dad asked, unaware of the blood that rushed into his daughter's cheeks.

"Oh, um, it was nice," Opal managed. The whole thing seemed like it was a year ago, yet only a second ago at the same time. She didn't want to tell her mother, not yet anyways. Even though Bolin would return the book, there's no way to know if he would pursue her any further. Opal let out a gentle sigh. She was the practical one. She knew better then to get her hopes up for something that was unpredictable. Yet here she was, doing the exact opposite.

…

"Pabu!" Bolin exclaimed as he burst through the door.

The bulldog scampered across the hardwood floor towards his owner. Bolin picked the dog up and hugged him as tightly as he could without squashing him. Aside from Mako, Pabu was his best friend, and it had killed Bolin to be apart from him.

Pabu licked his face, and Bolin laughed at the tickling sensation.

"Oh man I've missed you! I promise we'll go play fetch in the park once I get settled in," Bolin said.

"Good, he never brings the ball back to me when I throw it," Mako complained.

"What a good boy!" Bolin said rubbing Pabu's stomach.

Mako rolled his eyes, which then landed on an unusual object poking out of Bolin's duffle bag.

"Am I dreaming or is that a book?" Mako asked.

"What? Oh! Yeah I borrowed it from the girl who sat next to me on the plane," Bolin answered.

"Really? Was she nice?"

"Totally! In fact, she's Lin's niece!"

"_Lin? _As in my boss, chief of police Lin? Beifong?" Mako's jaw dropped.

"That's the one."

"Wow, I had no idea she had siblings, let alone a niece."

"Nephews too, four of them," Bolin informed Mako.

"You sure learned a lot about this girl," Mako commented.

"Yeah, I guess so. Her name is Opal by the way."

"Is she pretty?"

Bolin got a dreamily looked on his face. "Absolutely."

"Hmm."

"What's 'hmm' supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing. It's just, if I wanted to see someone again, letting them borrow a book would be one way to make sure I did," Mako pointed out.

Bolin pondered this for a moment. He had been overjoyed when she let him borrow it, knowing that would mean getting to see her again. However, Bolin thought she'd done it out of kindness and maybe out of her enthusiasm for books, but Mako did make sense. _Did that mean she's into me the way I'm into her? Oh man!_

Bolin suddenly snatched the book from his bag and hurried into the bedroom shutting the door behind him. He _really_ wanted to finish this book.

Pabu glanced up at Mako, cocking his head to the side as if saying, "What's got into Bolin?"

"I don't know, but if this girl's got Bolin reading something other than comics then she must be special," Mako said. Then he shook his head at himself. "I'm talking to a dog."

Pabu grunted and then went to go paw at the door Bolin had closed. His owner let him in before once again shutting the door.

"I hope they both know that's _my_ bed and that they're sleeping on the couch," Mako muttered to himself.

The next day, Bolin stumbled out of the bedroom. Tired from the night before in which he'd spent more time reading then sleeping, he rubbed his eyes and saw Mako curled up on the couch. He was still sound asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thanks again for the reviews, likes, and follows! I hope you're all enjoying it! I meant for this to be five chapters longs, but I'll be going over that. I'm not sure how many chapters it'll be, but the goal is for it to be finished by January 11****th****. Also, the official song for this fic is Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. I love it when authors include a song/playlist so I thought I'd do it too. Thanks! **

Chapter 3

Something Borrowed

Opal heard the sound of tires on gravel followed by multiple voices. Nothing could distract her when she was reading, but Wing and Wei were two boisterous exceptions.

She stuck her bookmark in its place and bolted down the stairs. There was a great deal of stairs, with the Beifong home being so large. Opal was almost losing patience by the time she hit the marble floor of the entry hall. Her father was assisting her twin brothers with their bags (they had more than Opal did due to the various sporting equipment) as they entered the mansion.

"Well lookie here!" Wing's sly grin etched on his face.

"Why, is that our long lost sister? Returned from the posh life of scholars and glitzy libraries?" Wei joined in.

"And you two, without any World Series Championships yet? Such a disappointment," Opal said dryly.

"Glad to see you've kept your wit," Wing replied, crushing her in an embrace.

"Can't have you losing that," Wei said, giving her a hug stronger than necessary, and ruffling Opal's hair in addition.

"Wing? Wei? Where are my boys? Oh, there you are! Oh I'm so happy to have you home!" Su called, finally coming into the entry hall. She gave both her sons a hug and pat on the cheek.

"Of course you are! Hey, where are our other brothers?" Wing asked.

"Huan should be home for dinner and Baatar Jr. is currently working on a blue print, but he has to come out of the study sooner or later," Su said.

"Or by force," Wei said mischievously.

"Just don't torment your brother too much. I've got some things to take care of for Huan but I promise we'll all catch up over dinner," Su said before giving them another hug and exiting the room with her husband.

"Care to join us?" Wei offered Opal.

"Of course," she replied and followed them down the hallway.

The Beifong mansion reflected the personality of the family while still maintaining individuality in each person's rooms. Opal's had a window seat and one wall that was a floor to ceiling bookshelf. The study wasn't Baatar Jr.'s actual room, but it might as well have been. There were books of course, but two enormous desks mastered most of the room. One belonged to Baatar Sr., covered with tools, gadgets, and various architectural models. The other was Baatar Jr.'s which normally resembled his father's, but he had pushed the junk to one side so his blue print could soak up the light from the desk lamp. Baatar Jr. was bent over the paper, one pencil in hand another behind his ear. He was so engaged with his project that he didn't notice his siblings' presence. Wing and Wei both crept up behind him while Opal put her elbows on his desk, resting her chin in her hands.

"Ahem."

Baatar Jr. glanced up to see Opal's face inches from his own.

"Ah!" he jumped back, only to have his shoulders grabbed by Wing and Wei.

"Boo!" they shouted.

"Hey!" Baatar yelled in response.

Opal was in stiches along with Wing and Wei. Baatar's face was red with rage, but Opal patted his hand, and he cracked the slightest smile.

"Sorry, we needed to get that out of our system," Wei chuckled.

"Yeah, we haven't seen you for months, and here you are cooped up in this stuffy place," Wing said.

"I had a break through, and you can't stop genius," Baatar replied, irritation blatant in his voice.

"Well it must not be genius then, considering that we have, in fact, stopped your work," Wei snickered.

"It can take breaks," Baatar countered. "I'd thought the minute you two returned home you'd go see the new slide for the pool."

"We got a slide for the pool?" Wing asked, already making his way out of the study.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Wei asked, not waiting long enough for an answer.

Once they left, Opal raised an eyebrow at Baatar. "We most definitely do not have a slide for the pool."

"Guess they'll find that out for themselves," Baatar said. "Although, now that I've thought of it, a slide wouldn't be a bad idea."

"It would be fun," Opal agreed, peering down at the blue print.

"It's not finished, not even close. I wasn't lying when I said I had a break through, but it's a complex one," Baatar said.

Opal knew the basics from her father and brother, but the equations and scribbled notes on the paper made her head swim.

"I'm sure it'll be grand," she assured, smiling.

"Thanks Opal."

Opal loved her brothers equally of course, but she felt closest to Baatar. Huan was artistic, Wing and Wei athletic, and Opal and Baatar were the brainy ones. She could relate and share more with Baatar. Yet, Baatar had his architecture niche, what was hers?

"You ok?" Baatar's question snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yeah, yes. I better get ready for work. Good luck with this," Opal said.

She had worked at a coffee shop during high school. Her manager let her work if she needed to over her breaks as well. Opal knew she didn't _need_ to work, her family had more than enough to provide, but if there was one thing Opal wasn't raised to be it was dependent. She preferred working for a paycheck, and it had been helpful in her adjustment to financial freedom in college.

On her way to her room, she heard a distressed voice coming from the day room. The door was slightly ajar, Opal was about to open it when she heard the same distress, but she realized that it was her mother. Su was rarely ever sour, or at least she'd never shown it. Concerned, Opal stood still, leaning her ear towards the door to hear clearer.

"It's not like I wanted to be best friends forever, I just thought she'd like to see the kids! They're already in college, what if they're married with their own children before she visits? We're in the same city for spirit's sake! I understood when we lived in Manhattan, but distance isn't an excuse now!" Opal heard her mother storm about the room.

"I don't know when your sister will accept our invite, but I think it'll be before the kids are married," Baatar Sr. soothed. "Even if she might have some unfinished business with you, there's no reason she would want to include the kids in it."

"That's another thing! This 'unfinished business' could have been finished years ago when Mom visited!"

Opal's heart dropped in her stomach as her mother's tone changed from anger to sorrow.

"I don't understand. I was so pleasant when I sent the invite to Huan's art show and offered a place here for Thanksgiving. How could she say no?"

Opal's grief passed quickly, turning into vexation. _No? Aunt Lin could turn us down that simply? _Opal had a relationship with her mother and grandmother, but only remembered the occasional visit from her aunt when she was younger. Other than that, the sole interaction she had with Aunt Lin was when she saw her in newspaper articles for arresting another criminal. Opal knew how blessed she was to have the family she had, and she would do anything for anyone of them. How could her aunt just throw them away?

…

"Not now Pabu," Bolin said. Pabu dropped the slobbery tennis ball in Bolin's lap and let out a soft whine.

Bolin sighed, and scratched behind Pabu's ear.

"Ok, I'll throw it one more time, but then you'll have to go find a Dalmatian or someone to go play with while I finish this book."

Bolin picked the tennis ball up and flung it far across the park. Pabu barked and went after it, ears flopping and tongue sticking out. Bolin chuckled and leaned his back against the tree behind him. It was a beautiful autumn day, and he'd decided to keep his promise to Pabu to go to the dog park and play. He'd brought the book along, knowing that it, on average, took about nine throws for Pabu to get tuckered out.

Just as predicted, Pabu came back with the ball and collapsed as soon as he got to Bolin's side. He stroked Pabu while he read. Bolin had two chapters left; he'd never read a book this quickly in his life. It was truly an amazing book; hard for him to put down, but Opal was enough motivation for him. Opal. Looking back at it, their first encounter reminded him of a movie. Sitting next to the pretty girl on the plane, returning her book, the meeting turning into a date. Bolin's heart flipped. _Thank spirits for this book _he thought_._

The next half hour Bolin sat up against the tree, turning pages at a rapid rate. Once he got to the end, a bittersweet wave washed over him.

"Man that was a great book…but the story's over," he said, Pabu lifting his head at the sound of his owner's voice.

"But this also means I get to see Opal!"

Bolin pulled his phone from his pocket and searched his contacts for her name.

**Hey, it's Bolin, that guy who's afraid of flying? I finished the book! **

He sent the text, hoping she'd be the one to set the time and place. He twiddled his thumbs and shredded some of the brown grass while he waited for her text.

"Pabu, what if she really did just let me borrow the book because she's just a nice person? I mean, we've had one conversation. Besides, half of the time I was sweating and freaking out that the plane was going to crash. What if I return the book and that's it? I never see her again."

Pabu whimpered and licked Bolin's hand.

"Thanks for listening buddy, I guess I'm going to have to get some guts and ask her out if I want to keep seeing her."

Bolin's heart flipped in his chest again when his phone beeped.

…

It was the kind of place that only regulars knew about. People who had lived in the city their whole lives or were establishing a future here had an unspoken knowledge of Welcome Coffee House. It could have been partially due to the fact that it was tucked away within the city, and the minimal advertising outside caused little alert. Opal preferred it this way. She loved helping people, but she doubted that she could handle tourists _all_ day. It gave her a chance to really get to know the regulars who did stumble upon the coffee shop. Once they did, they always came back.

Despite the lack luster sign on the street window, the interior was rather exciting. Opal wasn't sure why, but the metal that the owner incorporated into the decor and rustic theme made her feel at home. It was soothing, between the low volume music, coffee bean smell, and the constant clacking of laptop keys. There were some students who set up camp at one of the large desks in the back, but most of the customers were middle aged, working on some creative business idea or participating in a book club. Opal loved it. It was the only job she'd had, but she knew it would be her favorite. Which made her all the more nervous about what she was doing.

Opal never had her cell phone out during work. Ever. The other employees got away with it, and she highly doubted that she'd get fired if they caught her on it, but she didn't want her manager thinking she was neglecting her duties. However, this was an exception. She didn't want to miss Bolin if he texted her. Which he had.

Looking out the window to make sure no customer was coming, Opal took her phone out of her back pocket and quickly texted back.

**Hey! Wow, that was fast! I mean, you must be a quick reader. I hoped you liked it**

Opal made sure the vibrate mode was still on and put her phone back before someone saw. She prayed that he would want to actually meet up somewhere and give her the book rather than drop it off. She also hoped that they'd meet somewhere, _anywhere_,other than her house. She was by no means ashamed of her family or home, nor should she be, but she knew that there'd be a nonstop commentary and harassing by her brothers if she brought a boy home.

Her phone vibrated and she did another check to make sure no one was approaching the counter.

**Liked it? I loved it! I wish there was a sequel, but I guess all stories end sooner or later. So is there a time and place I could give this back? Maybe get a cup of coffee and have our own book club? **

No matter how much she bit her lip she could not stop the smile that formed on her face. She was thankful he'd been ballsy enough to throw out the date idea. _Is it a date? No, he would have said date instead of a cup of coffee. Oh my word Opal you're over analyzing it _she thought.

**Funny you should ask, I get off work at Welcome Coffee House at 7, you could come here and we'll get that cup of coffee**

Opal felt like jumping up and down but she knew that wouldn't be the best thing with her manager's office so close. The customers would be confused as well.

His next reply was the fastest of them all.

**Awesome! I'll see you at 7**

Opal did one final search to make sure no one was watching. She broke out into a gleeful dance as she brewed a new pot of coffee.

…

Bolin shoved his hands into his pockets. The temperature had dropped drastically since his and Pabu's time in the park. A warm cup of coffee was sounding better with each cold gust that hit his face. The thought was already warming him up. He was too shy to admit it out loud, but the thought of Opal was reducing the chill that settled in his bones as well. _It should be somewhere around here._

Welcome Coffee House was situated amongst buildings much grander than itself. This and almost invisible advertising on the storefront made it hard to find, easy to pass by, and intimate for those who did know it existed. Bolin could tell that regulars were what was keeping business going, for he received a few strange looks from people as he walked through the door.

The first thing that captured his attention were those familiar emerald eyes. She was wearing a faded gray t-shirt with the coffee shop's brand on it, distressed jeans, and Converse. Bolin assumed that this was probably the work outfit the employees were required to wear, but he doubted anyone pulled of such a simple look like she did.

"Hi!" Opal greeted, two Styrofoam cups in hand.

"H-hey, um did you pay for those? I can give you my share, or- I mean I'll pay for yours too-"

"That's sweet of you but I can manage buying a cup of coffee. Besides, I got them for free anyways," Opal said grinning.

Her smile was contagious, and Bolin felt the corners of his mouth turn upwards. She used the same tone of voice she had when assisting she didn't need his help with her bag. It wasn't mean or snotty, just confident.

"There's a free table over here," Opal said nodding over to a circular table in the corner.

Bolin took his cup from her, the brushing of their fingers stirring something deep within him. It was a new feeling, and it took nothing more than the touch of her hand. He took a sip of his coffee when they sat down, thinking that the caffeine would calm down whatever _that_ was. He'd dated girls before. Why was this, a simple coffee date, so unnerving?

"Here you go. Thanks again, it was a joy to read. I think it's my favorite book," he said, placing the novel on the table.

"Really? That's good to hear. What was your favorite book before this one?"

"Umm, well I didn't really have a favorite "book" before this. I have favorite comics and movies, but not books."

_Great, she must think I'm a nerd now._

"Well, I'm honored that I lent you the story that would become your favorite," Opal said sweetly.

_Phew!_

"So you're a movie person then?" Opal asked, holding her coffee cup close to her for warmth.

"Oh totally! The music and effects, how it all comes together. I love that stuff!"

"Do you have a favorite movie then?"

"Oh geez, that's a good question. I don't know. I watch movies from all genres…"

"Seriously? That's refreshing to hear. I read books from every genre, it's more fun than to constrict yourself to just one type of story," Opal said.

"Exactly! I think I'd get bored if I didn't mix it up a bit. I mean, there's action, sci-fi, thrillers, comedy, roma- oh hey, Mako!"

…

Opal turned around to see who Bolin had started waving at. A guy about Bolin's age, maybe older, recognized him and made his way over to their table. Opal was able to put two and two together, noticing the police uniform that the young man was wearing, and the same complexion and coal black hair that matched Bolin's.

"Hey bro, wasn't expecting to see you here," Mako said. "I didn't think you'd ever be in need of caffeine."

Opal let a giggle escape and Mako suddenly realized that Bolin had come for more than just a cup of joe.

"Oh hello, you are?"

"Oh sorry! Mako this is Opal-" Bolin began his introduction.

"The one who got him to read! Pleasure to meet you," Mako cut in, offering a hand to Opal.

She shook it, "Thank you, it's a pleasure meeting you as well."

"I've read before," Bolin mumbled.

"I'm just joshing you bro," Mako said, placing a hand on Bolin's shoulder.

Opal knew what sibling life was like, but there was something about these brothers that was unusual. Their dynamic wasn't like her and her brothers'. Mako seemed more protective over Bolin then he should have been for someone Bolin's age and size. The tone he used with him was gentle, but had a parental ring to it as well.

"What are you doing here anyways? Your shift should be ending, you don't need a pick me up," Bolin asked.

"The Triple Threats have been causing trouble the last couple days, and Chief Beifong wanted double the officers out since it's the holidays. I'm working overtime tonight," Mako explained. Opal bristled at the mention of her aunt.

"In fact," Mako looked around him, and then gave Opal a perplexed look. "Lin was right behind me, I'm not sure where she went."

Opal was about to assure him it was ok, that her aunt was a master of slipping away, but she caught movement of something right outside the window. A flash of light hair and a turn of a scared cheek was all Opal saw before the woman ducked out of sight.

…

Bolin was pleased that the rest of the date had gone well. More than well. He survived Mako and Opal's interaction without Mako revealing any humiliating stories. The two had gotten along better than Bolin had imagined. He also found it weird that Opal had met the only family he had on their first date, but he was immensely pleased she had. _Maybe this is moving too fast? _He thought as he opened the door for her. She now had put on a beanie and coat to battle the harsh wind, with the book under her arm. They stepped out of the coffee shop into the brisk Chicago air. Bolin pulled his arms in closer to his body.

"I know you can handle walking yourself back to your place, but I honestly would feel better if you let me join you," Bolin said.

"If I lived anywhere near here I would take you up on that offer, but my house isn't in walking distance. One of my family members is coming to pick me up," she said, the tip of her nose turning rosy.

"Oh, well ok."

_Nice one, really sweeping her off her feet _Bolin felt like face palming himself.

The conversation hadn't paused for a moment the entire night. Until now. Bolin felt apprehension in the air as the question he wanted to ask remained in his throat. Opal was studying the sidewalk as they stood there. _How is this too fast? Compared to Eska this is normal. Fantastically normal. _The laughs and her smiles from the night played in the back of his mind. He might not have read a lot of books, but he could write a trilogy about her smile.

"So um," Bolin begin, rubbing the back of his neck. "I would like to do this again sometime. I'm not promising I can have another book read by then, but- you, I'd like to see you again."

Opal reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Well, my brother is having an art show on Friday. It's supposed to be his big break or along those lines. I can text you the address?"

…

"That sounds perfect!" Bolin replied, much to Opal's delight. She then saw the headlights that were approaching them. She felt bad about telling the little white lie about a family member coming to pick them up. Saying that the family driver was coming for her in a black Cadillac would sound weird though.

"That's my ride, so I'll see you Friday?" she asked, backing away slowly from him, hoping to catch the car before it reached them.

"Yeah, I'll see you then!" he called out.

She waved good-bye and then turned around in the direction of her ride. As she slid into the back seat, elation took over and made the butterflies in her stomach take flight. Opal thought she wasn't going to burst if she didn't control her nerves.

"Did you have a good time miss?" the driver inquired as they accelerated down the street, city lights blurring.

"The best."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! I can't say thank you enough for the wonderful reviews you've given. It is much appreciated! There is a mention of Marvel in this chapter (this isn't a cross over though) so disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or anything to do with it. Also, reminder that this fic is rated T for sexual themes. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 4

Something Blue

Everyone in the house was hustling, and if they weren't, then they were bustling. This painting goes there, that sculpture goes here, be careful loading that one! It's my life's work! Opal swallowed all the witty retorts she had come up with for Huan's sake. Some were too good to go unrecognized so she'd say them under her breath. Baatar Jr. would crack up, but Huan was too preoccupied to even shot them a glare.

Opal was equal parts hyped for Huan, and for her second date with Bolin. _Second date. _Those two words alone were enough to kick her pulse up a notch. She hadn't mentioned anything about Bolin to her family yet. She was going to but between Huan's third and fourth mental breakdown she decided it was best to keep the focus on him.

When Huan wasn't breathing down her neck, she often found her thoughts drifting to Bolin. He'd been as nervous as she was during the start of their date, but they had soon overcome the nerves and had a fantastic time. It might not have been a typical first date, nor was their meeting, but it was perfect to her. Opal was slightly worried that her romance novels had gone to her head, yet she couldn't shake the feelings he gave her. She never met him until their flight, but when he was around, she felt as if they'd known each other their whole life. It was like discovering something she didn't know was missing.

However, there was that one moment that had put a damper on her night. Opal was confident that was Aunt Lin outside the window. She had probably fled at the sight of Opal, for a reason unknown to her niece. Opal had faith when her father had told her mother that Aunt Lin wouldn't want to bring the children into the adults' mess. Now Opal wasn't quite sure. She _was_ sure, however, that Aunt Lin wouldn't attend the art show tonight. Bitterness grew from this thought as she continued wrapping and loading the art pieces Huan had slaved over. Opal knew she was going to be an aunt someday. With four brothers, it was certain to happen. When she was, Opal vowed never to miss a game or birthday, and to be there whenever she was needed. She vowed never to be like Aunt Lin.

…

"No it- stop, get your hands out of the way- it goes like this," Mako gritted his teeth as he fixed Bolin's tie.

"Well sorry! I just wanted it to be right, and I've never had to do this before," Bolin said.

"Then watch. Wrap it around, then put this part there-" Mako instructed. "…and there!"

Opal had texted Bolin that the art show would be semi formal. He wasn't sure if that meant he had to wear a tie or not, but he was meeting her family so he thought it best to. Not to mention that Opal's family happened to be _The Beifongs. _He knew a bit about the rest of her family, but his knowledge was mostly about Toph Beifong. One of the greatest boxers in history, and the city was never better than when she was head of the police. Not to say that Lin wasn't doing a bang up job, but Toph was the original Beifong. One of Bolin's heroes as well. Bolin had an idea what Opal's parents would be like from the newspaper articles he'd read. Su had carried on the legacy in her own way. Philanthropy might as well have been her middle name, and she had trained one of the best competing dance teams in the nation. Bolin had also noticed buildings in Chicago designed by the hands of Su's husband, Baatar Sr. The Beifong name was worth its weight in gold.

Of course, that had nothing to do with why Bolin was with Opal. He'd known nothing about her when they had met on that plane other than she made his heart stop.

"Earth to Bolin!" Mako snapped his fingers in Bolin's face.

"Sorry! I was thinking."

"I'm always glad to hear that."

"Mako, I'm meeting not just the _Beifongs_ tonight, but Opal's family. That makes it a million times more nerve-wracking," Bolin said, wringing his hands together.

"I'd also like to remind you that there's a possibility you'll be mingling with Lin, my boss, tonight too," Mako said.

"Gee thanks bro. Impress your girlfriend, her family, oh and your brother's boss who is responsible for the food on our table. No pressure! Seriously, best pep talk you've ever given," Bolin rolled his eyes. Mako mimicked the gesture.

"Technically, _I'm_ the one who puts food on the table and- wait, did I just hear the word _girlfriend_?"

"Oh, well we haven't talked about it yet. It's perfectly plausible that she'll say no, but I do plan on bringing it up. I know, I know it's only our second date, but she's met you and I'm meeting her family tonight. It just- it just feels right," Bolin rambled anxiously.

"Bo, calm down. It's ok. It's more than ok actually. I like Opal. She's a nice girl, and she can keep you in your place," Mako commented, straightening Bolin's shirt.

"I know! She's so kind and super smart. Pretty of course. She smells like flowers too, and oh! She looovves animals so no worries about her and Pabu getting along!"

Bolin was talking a mile a minute before Mako shook him.

"Dude, I get it. Your head over heels, but if you don't stop babbling you're going to be late," Mako said.

"Spirits! Ok bye! Love you, feed Pabu and play with him while I'm gone!" Bolin instructed as he snatched his jacket up.

"Be safe! Don't tell Lin anything that will get me fired!"

"Like your life is _that_ exciting," Bolin jeered, closing the apartment door behind him

…

"It's breathtaking," Opal told Huan. The canvases had all been hung and the sculptures arranged around the room. Bare light bulbs were secured to the ceiling, bathing the colors of Huan's paintings in soft hues. The dark wood floor reflected the lights and bounced off the metal sculptures, highlighting angles and creating more dimension.

"It's original," Huan sighed contently. Opal had seen a new side of her brother this week. Normally, he was moody or lecturing about expression and whatnot. Huan was the dramatic one out of the siblings, but beneath the angst show he put on, Opal saw bliss. Huan had put blood, sweat, and tears into this, but it didn't feel like work to him because it was his passion. Opal would give anything to find that balance between career and interest. She had no idea what that could be for her though.

"Mom and dad have told you this plenty of times this week, but I want you to know I'm proud of you too," Opal said, giving Huan's shoulder a light squeeze. Under normal circumstances, Huan would have brushed this gesture off. Not because he didn't love his family, but he wasn't the touchy-feely type. This time, however, he patted Opal's hand while absentmindedly starring at the lights. It was a thank you in his own way.

A few prospective clients were allowed in early, and soon the members of Opal's family were ushering while Huan was promoting. Opal was about to join in with Baatar Jr. when a person in the doorway froze her in her place.

Her aunt scanned the room, taking in the artwork and registering faces. Finally, her eyes met Opal's. She stood as still as Opal did.

_Go! Before she leaves again! _

Opal's brain commanded her and she began high tailing it over to her aunt.

"Aunt Lin!" Opal put on her most welcoming smile and hugged her aunt before she could protest. This startled her aunt, but she patted Opal's back as if it were an automatic response to human contact.

"Um Opal," Lin stated. Her tone hinted that she hadn't prepared for the sudden family reunion as thoroughly as she should have.

"I'm so happy you came! The rest of the family will be free in a moment, but they're helping out right now," Opal informed.

"Oh, um- I read that it was possible to make a donation?" Lin asked, her body tense.

"You read right! The container is right here," Opal pointed at the table behind them.

Lin awkwardly shuffled around Opal and placed a wad of cash into the glass box that sat on top the table. She then turned to face Opal, but nothing came out of her mouth. She stood there, not quite sure what the next step was.

"If you want, you can do an early walk through of the exhibit. You're family of course, so it's not a problem," Opal assured her.

"Actually kid, I'm still on shift. I came by to drop the donation off, but I have to get back to work," Lin said in a monotone voice. _She has the same amount of emotion as a robot does _Opal thought drearily. _Is she honestly like this all the time? _

"Lin?!" Su gaped. Her face went from astonished to furious in less then a second.

"Were you about to leave? You were, won't you? I should have figured. Making an appearance, handing over cash and calling it support. Why don't you stay for once? Introduce yourself to the family while you're at it," Su fumed.

"Mother!" Opal gasped.

Su's eyes widened in realization, and then fell with regret.

"Please forgive me. Opal I'm sorry you had to witness that. Lin I'm sorry, this week has been a headache and-"

"Oh your week has been rough? You have no idea," Lin spat. "Try tracking and catching the city's most wanted criminals, saving lives, then having to be scolded by your younger sister for attempting to help her nephew."

Lin could cut metal with that tone. Opal gulped, wanting to distance herself from her aunt.

"You're right, it's not like mom did that and had to raise children. Ha, I wonder what that's like. Oh, wait, I do! I have five of them! Which you never care to see," Su fired back.

"Don't get me started on mom! You didn't help her burdens any, you instigated every little problem!" Lin yelled.

"I'm sorry that I didn't grow up to be a perfect, mini version of mom like you did! Who am I kidding, you didn't even do that! Unlike her, you'll be alone for the rest of your sorry life," Su said coldly.

Opal was in too much shock to warn her aunt. Lin was shouting about something, about to pound her fist on the table. Instead of the table, it came down on the glass box with unyielding rage. Glass shattered, minute shards flying in every direction. The sound echoed, ceasing all conversations.

Eyes fixed on the three women at the front of the room, the guests watched in puzzlement while the family watched in horror. Huan's face couldn't choose whether it wanted to turn red in humiliation, or become pale in sickness, so it shifted between the two. Opal couldn't find the words to cover up the accident for the life of her, but she was able to say, "Aunt Lin, you're bleeding."

Lin looked at her niece, eyes narrowed in anger. They opened in confusion, and then turned down to look at her hand. It wasn't serious, but the damage seemed to warrant a bandage. Lin cradled her injured hand in the other, and briskly strode out of the room.

Opal shot a pleading look at her mother, knowing she'd know how to revert everyone's attention back to the art. Su cleared throat.

"As you can see, some people are immensely passionate about art! We'll clean this up while you're admiring Huan's work," Su announced, receiving some laughs and nods in response to her pleasant demeanor.

"Opal, sweetie, grab the broom in the hallway closet. We need to fix this before the normal showing starts," Su ordered calmly.

Opal scurried out into the hallway wordlessly.

…

Bolin slipped off his jacket to hang it in the hallway closet. He closed the door seconds before someone collided with him. He stumbled backwards before regaining his balance, catching the other person in his arms.

"Opal!" he exclaimed. He blinked a couple times, not sure if the image he saw before him was real or a dream.

Her gold, dangly earrings jingled from the impact. She had on a one-shoulder dress that landed just above the knee, and was forest green, completing the olive tone of her skin. Bolin had no clue what material it was made out of, but he imagined it was what silk probably felt like. Between these observations, her fingers splayed across his chest, and his hands on her hips, Bolin was having a hard time remembering how to breathe.

_Say something you big lug!_

"We match!" he blurted.

_Idiot! _

Opal eye's fluttered down to see his green button down shirt and gold striped tie. She burst into laughter. She didn't stop until she was breathless and her eyes began to water.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're here," she said, wiping the tears away.

"Oh thank the spirits, I thought you were laughing at my tie," Bolin let out a shaky breath, aware that his hand placement hadn't changed.

"You're tie is perfect! It does look like we coordinated outfits doesn't it?" she replied with a goofy grin.

Bolin chuckled, "Why are you so "relieved"? You seem cheerful, isn't the show going well?"

Opal's grin faltered and her gaze dropped to the floor. Bolin let his arms fall from her waist so that he could grab her hands.

"What happened?" Bolin questioned, worried for an entirely different reason now.

"My aunt showed up," Opal began. "I was going to show her around but my mom saw her and… she kind of flipped. That led to a major fight and Aunt Lin sort of broke some glass."

"Whoa! Su and Lin fighting it out? That would have been epic! To be honest, I'm surprised glass was the only broken –"

Bolin stopped when he saw Opal's raised eyebrow.

"Right, family fights aren't cool. Sorry," Bolin apologized. "Did anyone see? Is Lin in there?"

"No. She left after she broke the donation box, but some interested buyers witnessed it," Opal sighed.

Bolin tightened his grip on her hands. "There's a whole crowd of people out there waiting. I don't know much about art but Huan is definitely going to sell some pieces by the end of the night," he reassured her.

"Really? Gosh that's wonderful. All the work is stunning, it'd be a shame if nothing got sold."

"You're stunning," Bolin gushed.

Opal's cheeks turned a peach shade, giving off a glow. "Oh, thank you."

He dropped his head. His eyes found hers as she gazed up him. Bolin noticed how close they were standing to each other. His head dipped even more as hers tilted up. Bolin took a last glance at her lips through closing lids. He felt her breath-

"Opal! Did you find that broom!" a woman, Bolin suspected Opal's mom, called from down the hall.

Opal squeaked and Bolin jumped.

"Coming!" she answered, releasing his hands and opening the closet door.

He was still reeling when she emerged from the closet with broom in hand.

"Um if my family seems off tonight, I promise it's not you," she said, cheeks flaming.

"Oh totally, I understand," he said, giving a thumbs up.

_A thumbs up? Seriously?_

She giggled and set off down the hall, Bolin joyously in tow.

…

"Thank you sweetie," Su said taking the broom hastily from Opal. "Be careful of the glass, shoes help but I would hate for anyone to- oh who's this?"

"Mom, this is Bolin," Opal introduced the two.

"Hello, nice to meet you Bolin. Please ignore the mess," Su said.

"What mess?" Bolin joked as he shook Su's hand.

Su laughed approvingly and told Opal to open the doors after she was finished sweeping.

People flowed in steadily, marveling at Huan's work. Opal enjoyed Huan's secret fist pump when he saw the amount of people who'd came. She hooked her arm in Bolin's, who readily accepted it, and they made their way around the room.

"Like I said before, I don't know anything when it comes to art, so you're going to have to educate me," Bolin said.

"I honestly don't know much about it either, but I think that's the beauty. It's whatever you interpret it to be," Opal said, pondering a rather sharp metal sculpture.

"Ouch is how I'm interpreting this one," Bolin remarked, eyebrows scrunched together in contemplation.

"It's about the dangerous perils of conformity," Huan startling the both of them.

"Oh…yeah I see that," Bolin lied. Opal suppressed her laughter.

"Huan this is Bolin. Bolin, this is my brother and artist, Huan."

"Please to meet you. This is all very…wow," Bolin finished.

Huan lost interest and saw someone who must have been important. He left the couple without another word.

"Did I offend him?" Bolin asked in a frightened tone.

"No, that's just Huan for you," Opal replied.

She then saw her parents in the corner of the room, their gestures animated. Her mom appeared at the end of her rope, but her dad pulled her back with whatever it was he said and a comforting hug.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Opal decided, hauling Bolin towards the door.

"Really?" Bolin asked, trying, and failing, to keep the relief out of his voice.

"Yes."

She checked the replacement donation box on their way out. It was close to full, and people were still arriving. Opal did a mental fist pump for Huan. Then, she locked eyes with Baatar Jr. He raised a questioning eyebrow at the sight of Bolin. She sent him the look that siblings often give one another.

_Cover for me?_

He smirked and nodded. _Be safe _his look said.

She nodded back, leaving with Bolin's hand in hers.

…

"Where are we going?" he asked once they were outside the building.

"I was thinking, since we've checked books, paintings, and sculptures off the list, we might as well include the other category of the arts," Opal said.

"Singing?" Bolin guessed.

"Film," Opal said.

"Yes!" Bolin cried. "There's some good ones in theaters now…"

"Oh we're not going to the theater," Opal stated.

"We're not?"

A black Cadillac suddenly pulled up to the curb. Bolin looked at the car, then at Opal, and then at the car again.

"You got me. I'm lost," he confessed.

"You said you adored movies, and we have our own theater at home," she explained as the driver opened the door for them.

Bolin was stunned into silence. Processing the car and now the theater was taking a bit of time.

"Sorry to spring this on you. I don't do this often. I've had friends, and guys, try to get to know me because of my family's wealth."

"I'd never do that! I like you because you're Opal!" Bolin said enthusiastically.

Opal's cheeks reddened for the umpteenth time that night and she ran a hand through her hair.

"Thank you, and that's why you're the exception," she said.

Bolin smiled at her. He was both terrified and giddy. Earlier in the hall, they'd been close. _So_ close.

Another bout of shock hit him when the car braked in front of mile high, iron gates. The driver pushed a button that Bolin assumed was a garage door opener, but it opened the gates instead.

"Wow," was all he could say.

They didn't stop for a tour when they got inside. Opal's hand was intertwined with his as she guided them through a dimly lit hallway and down a flight of stairs. They passed through a couple rooms before their destination. Opal flipped a switch and the room instantly came into focus.

"WOW," Bolin unable to come up with another word.

The screen was as giant as the ones in theaters, but instead of regular chairs, there was a row of recliners in the back next to the door, and a massive sectional couch in front.

"We used to have movie night once a week before all our schedules got busy," Opal said as they entered a different door to the side of a window.

"Projector room," she continued as Bolin inspected the projector and shelves of movies in awe.

"I don't know if I'd ever leave," he said, reaching for a stack of DVDs.

"It is by far the most comfortable room in the house, I'll give it that," Opal agreed.

"Ok I'm feeling like Marvel, which one?" Bolin asked, holding up the options.

"Captain America," Opal tapped the cover.

"Excellent selection," Bolin said as he loaded the disk into the DVD player. Opal turned the projector on, which was connected to the DVD player, and the film expanded onto the screen.

" . ," Bolin raved.

Opal shut the lights off and they flopped onto the coach. Opal slipped off her heels and Bolin kicked off his shoes. That's when his internal struggle started.

_Hold her hand? Arm around her? Not do anything?_

He was weighing his choices when Opal stole him from his thoughts.

"What made you love movies in the first place?" she inquired.

"I don't know. I guess I really grew to love them when I was in one."

"Wait, you're an actor?!"

"Kinda. I was only in one movie, and it wasn't big enough to make it to theaters. It won some awards at a film festival though."

"What was it called?"

"Nuktuk, it was like a superhero movie. My friend slash boss Varrick was the mastermind behind it."

"Let me guess, you were the superhero?" she teased, bumping his shoulder.

"That would be correct," he grinned.

"That must have been fun! I bet Mako and your parents loved going to the premiere."

Bolin's heart sank. He swallowed hard, realizing his parents had never been part of any of their conversations.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concern noticeable on her face, even in the dark.

"Nothing really. Well… when I was young my parents died in a fire. I can't remember them very well, or the accident. It affected Mako more than anything. He was eight when it happened, and then he had to take care of me," Bolin said.

Opal covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh Bolin, I'm…I'm so sorry. I had no idea, oh that's terrible."

When people learned the truth about his parents, they said things along the same line Opal had. What else could they say? It _was_ terrible. However, no one had said it with as much raw sincerity as Opal had.

"It's ok. Like I said, Mako was the one it was hardest for. Growing up with him wasn't bad either. It was difficult on the streets for sure, but he taught me everything I needed to know and took real good care of me. Then, we stumbled upon the boxing gym. That was our first way of making money, and I loved boxing. It wasn't glamorous, but it was enough."

Bolin felt Opal's hand on his knee.

"Are you sure you're ok?" she asked again.

_No _he thought. He'd been prepping that speech for years, his standard response. He felt tears prickle his eyes but he fought them.

"I'm way ok," he lied, refusing to let tears fall. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what's the beef between Su and Lin?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I thought it was because Aunt Lin is devoted to her job more than she is to us, but they brought up Grandma Toph during the fight," Opal said, biting her lip.

"Sounds like it goes back a ways," Bolin said.

"Yeah it seems so. All I recall is them shouting at each other, Aunt Lin smashing the glass, and then…me running into you," she said, giving him one of her heart stopping smiles.

"Th-that's right. Then the outfit matching and then-"

Bolin stopped short. _Then the almost kiss._

Opal shyly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. He loved her habits. The hair and the lip biting. The lip biting drove Bolin nuts.

"And um, then we were…interrupted," Opal finished for him.

"Right…interrupted."

Bolin's heart was beating rapidly now. The way she was gazing at him, her emerald eyes twinkling. He became highly conscious of the decreasing space between them as he leaned towards her. Her hand was still resting on his knee, and the warmth radiating from her body put him in a tizzy. He placed a hand on her back, drawing her closer. He got one last glance at her before his eyes shut. No one interrupted this time.

His mouth tingled at the touch of hers, his body electrified. Her lips were oh so soft, and he shuddered as she readjusted them so that she was gently sucking on his bottom lip. He, carefully, pulled her down on top of him. Their noses bumped as his back landed horizontally on the coach, Opal now on his chest. She giggled, her breath sweet and warm on his face, and placed a kiss on his nose.

…

He smelled clean. Like fresh laundry and clean cut grass. He kissed her again, with less hesitation this time. She placed one hand on his cheek, and ran her other fingers through his hair, eliciting a muffled moan. In return, he dragged his tongue lightly across her bottom lip, and she sighed deeper into the kiss. His hands were roaming her back and bare shoulder; the skin on skin contact felt better than she'd imagined. The movie was still playing, but she was too wrapped up in him to care.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! First off I want to apologize soooooooo much for getting this out late. I couldn't finish it before I headed back to school and this semester has been crazy busy. However, I would never leave a fic unfinished not matter how long it takes me to publish it. For those of you who like Bopal, there is a one-shot I have coming, sort of like an epilogue to this but I'm not sure when that'll be published. If any of you have headcanons about any of the shows I write about, message me! I'm always open to write one-shots if someone has something in mind. So without further ado, here are the last two chapters of Paper Airplanes! Hope you like it! **

Chapter 5

Family Matters

Opal had always thought of holidays as pleasantly ironic. They were time for family and friends, love and blessings. On the other hand, they were also the time for stress. Major stress. Opal was prepared for the annual attack of middle-aged women in desperate need of caffeine to finish their holiday errands, but they still wore her out half way through her shift. The coffee shop was only this busy during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it lasted the entire week. Opal let out a deep sigh. It was Monday. She had four more days of people shouting at her to get their latte or double shot or flat white. Then she could relax.

Whenever her patience was waning, she would think of the delicious turkey dinner that was coming and how she would curl up with her current book afterwards, listening to the boys argue about sports (or in Huan's case, the fruitlessness of them). That and she had also been spending a majority of her off time with Bolin. They'd gone to the park with Pabu, Navy Pier, and he even let her drag him to an art museum. Tonight he'd invited her over to his place for TV and board games. Opal loved the casualness of it. They both could be themselves without reserve.

"I've been waiting TEN minutes for my coffee, hurry up! I have places to go!" a lady with lipstick on her teeth yelled at her.

_Four hours left, you can do this Opal._

…

Bolin hung his jacket on the coat rack. He had taken Pabu for one last walk so he wouldn't whine while Opal was here.

"Ok, I'm taking an extra shift again tonight, so I won't be back until late," Mako reminded, sticking his flashlight and badge into his utility belt.

"Yep, got it," Bolin said, stacking the dinner dishes in the sink.

"Opal's coming over right?"

"Correct sit," Bolin replied.

Mako stood at the side of the sink, next to Bolin, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Bolin sensed an uneasy vibe from his brother.

"Is there something on your mind or do you have to pee?" Bolin asked, washing a plate.

"No, well yes. I do have something I want to talk to you about," Mako starred intensely at the floor.

"Well don't be awkward about it, shoot," Bolin said.

"Look, dad only mentioned the subject once or twice with me because I was too young, but he never got to it with you. I wanted to wait until I felt like you found a girl you were serious enough about, which I think you are about Opal-"

"Oh my gosh," Bolin groaned, face turning red. "Are you going to give me the talk? Mako, we grew up on the streets, and I'm in college. You can skip the birds and the bees."

"Um, ok, just…be careful. I know I can't stop you from doing what you want, I'm just asking that you be careful," a pleading look in Mako's eyes.

"Of course!" Bolin promised.

"Ok, phew, glad that's over. Have fun tonight! Not too much fun! Responsible fun!" Mako called as he left for work.

Bolin rolled his eyes and gave Pabu a _Can you believe that guy?_ look. He played it off with humor but deep down Bolin appreciated it. Mako had been Bolin's father for a majority of his life. Bolin wasn't sure if he could be as dependable as Mako, if the roles had been reversed. He liked to believe that he could've raised Mako, kept him from getting in trouble, but the doubt gnawed at him every now and then.

Even though he had been young when his parents died, Bolin's memories were quite vivid. The ones that stuck out the most were when gunshots would go off down the street from Mako and his ally. He'd wake up, and reach for Mako, who would shush him back to sleep. Not before his saw the absolute fear in his brother's eyes. The terror that Mako tried hard to bury down. But it was there, clear as day in those amber eyes. Or the times that they were hungry, and eight year old Mako promised that he'd feed Bolin soon. Bolin knew that Mako had gone without in order to provide Bolin meals, but the one time Bolin had brought it up Mako had shut the conversation down.

Maybe that's why Bolin was the emotional one, because Mako didn't have time to feel. The only emotions he'd experience growing up were fear, hunger, and sadness. After all, Mako was the one who had witnessed their parents' death.

A knock at the door brought Bolin back to the present. It was much nicer than the past.

…

Opal knocked on apartment door 4B. Her feet felt numb and her brain was fried, but all the discomfort faded away when Bolin opened the door and greeted her with a bear hug.

Opal giggled as she felt him lift her up off the ground. "Hello to you too."

"Sorry, I've missed you! It's been boring around here. Good news though, Pabu's learned five new tricks!"

"Wonderful," Opal smiled, her heart warm.

The guys' (or Mako's) apartment was quaint. It had one bath and one bedroom, with a living area and kitchen connected. Bolin had told her that he'd slept on the couch for his stay except for the nights Mako worked past midnight.

Pabu bolted towards Opal and rolled over at her feet, his puppy eyes pleading for a belly rub. Opal complied and continued to pet Pabu as she observed the apartment.

The decoration was minimal. There was a plant in the corner of the room and one wall dedicated to three pictures hung and framed. Opal walked over to investigate.

There were two that showed the brothers with two girls. Both were tall, one with darker skin. She had dark hair as well, but icy blue eyes. The lighter skinned one had hair as black as Opal's and green as well. She was gorgeous. In one picture, the four were at what looked like a movie premiere. Opal assumed it must have been the one Bolin had acted in. The next picture showed the blue-eyed girl in matching boxing gear along with Mako and Bolin. That's when it dawned on Opal…

"Oh my gosh. You know Korra?" she exclaimed.

"Oh yeah! We're like best buddies. She showed up to Mako and I's boxing match one night and I got her to join in a couple rounds," Bolin explained.

"She's one of the top Olympic athletes," Opal said.

"You're telling me! Don't ever tell her I said this but she gave me a run for my money. I was more bruised and battered after boxing with her than I was when I went against Mako."

"I get to meet her?" Opal asked in disbelief.

"If you want to, which I hope you do. I think you guys would get along great. Oh and you can meet Asami too," Bolin said.

"Asami? Asami Sato?" Opal realized the other woman in the picture.

"That's her alright."

"She's one of the brightest inventors of her time! My brother and dad talk about her constantly. She's the youngest woman CEO ever," Opal gushed.

"She's also unmerciful in pai-show," Bolin muttered.

"You played pai-show with Asami Sato?"

"Play is an overstatement. I got my ass handed to me."

Opal laughed, imagining Bolin trying to keep up with one of the most intelligent minds of the century.

She looked at the last photo. It was in black and white, and she surpassed a gasp when she saw who was in it. Mako and Bolin were in it, but they were more than ten years younger. Bolin was sitting on the lap of a man with a moustache and glasses, while Mako was standing in front of a beautiful lady, her hand on his shoulder.

"Your parents?" Opal asked.

"Yep, that's the folks," Bolin answered, voice steady.

Opal studied the couple. Their father had a button noise and what Opal could best describe as eyes that contained joyous laughter. He seemed like a jolly man. Their mother had long, following hair. Her smile was kind, and she had a glow about her, recognizable even in black and white. She radiated love.

"You're a spitting image of your dad," Opal commented.

"That's what I get told. I'm thinking about growing a moustache when I get older."

Opal wrinkled her nose, not sure what kissing someone with a moustache would feel like.

"So what are we feeling like doing tonight? Games, movies?" Bolin asked, steering the conversation towards a lighter subject.

"Both," Opal nodded.

"Both it is," Bolin grinned.

He flicked on the TV while Opal plopped down on the sofa, glad to be siting for the first time since the start of her shift this morning. That's when Pabu strolled out of Mako's room, a notebook in his mouth. He sat down and went to work chewing and tearing at the pages.

"Pabu! No!" Bolin scolded.

Pabu whimpered, eyes pitiful, and tail wagging.

"Oh no, those puppy dog eyes aren't working this time," Bolin laughed, taking the notebook from the dog.

A couple of blank pages feel out, but Bolin snatched them up before Pabu could get his paws on them.

"Normal dogs chew on shoes, not paper," Bolin remarked.

"Pabu's special,"Opal said.

"That's one word for it."

…

Bolin sat next to Opal, who was flipping through the stations.

"How was work?" he asked, folding one of the pages that had fallen out.

"I lost a little bit of hope for humanity, but other than that it was good," she said.

Bolin folded some more, and then let his paper airplane fly. It flew a foot or so and then dive-bombed into the carpet.

"Oh honey, here let me see one," Opal said, grabbing a piece of paper.

"Oh I'm sorry, let me guess, you're a paper airplane master," Bolin said sarcastically, watching as she quickly and skillfully folded the paper.

"Yes," she said, throwing her airplane into the air.

It lasted longer than Bolin's did. It flew in a circle around the room, adjusting itself every time Bolin thought it was about to crash. It remained in flight for a little under a minute before spinning into the ground.

Bolin raised an eyebrow at her, a deadpan expression on his face.

"I grew up with architectures and engineers," reminded him.

"Whatever. You might be the airplane master in the relationship, but I could beat you in an arm wrestle," Bolin said.

"I also grew up with four brothers. Challenged accepted," she said, turning towards him and resting her elbow on her knee.

"Are you serious?" Bolin asked. His arm was at least twice the size of hers.

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Opal scoffed, but Bolin caught the underlying playfulness in her tone.

"If you say so."

Normally, Bolin would have let the girl win, but this was Opal. She was going down.

He gripped her hand, and she started to push against his as soon as they came in contact. Bolin wasn't too surprised at the fight she was putting up. She was stronger than he had guessed, but not near enough to beat him.

Bolin laughed before pushing her arm down in defeat.

"Ok whatever, you're a boxer. I can read faster than you," Opal teased.

"You do realize that I have a sibling too? I'm just as competitive as you are," Bolin pointed out.

"Which is why you're a worthy opponent."

"I can throw a ball faster."

"I can hold a handstand longer."

"I can cook some mean noodles."

"I'm the better kisser."

Bolin froze. "Excuse me?"

Opal giggled, "I was kidding about that one."

"Oh I know you were, because that's impossible," Bolin said with a sly grin.

Opal gave him an incredulous look.

"Surely you're joking," she said.

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Bolin mimicked her tone from earlier.

Opal pressed her lips to his, kissing him before he had time to process what was happening.

His head was swimming. Her hands pulled at the front of his shirt, drawing him closer. Her lips moved slowly against his, drowning him more and more. Bolin pushed her back onto the sofa, placing his hands on either side of her head. Her hands were in his hair one minute, and then they tenderly slid down his chest and stomach, tracing the muscles under his shirt. Bolin's skin tingled wherever her hands had been, and he parted his lips, deepening the kiss. Her breath mixed in with his own as the kisses became feverish. Bolin's mind went blank. The only things that were going through his head were how wonderful Opal smelled and the sensation of her lips and hands on him.

He was so far gone that Opal had to repeat herself.

"What was that?" he asked, wondering why the kissing had halted.

"The phone is ringing."

"They can leave a message," Bolin dismissed, kissing her jaw and neck.

She sighed pleasantly, the sound making his heart race. He blocked out the ringing as best as he could. Opal wrapped her legs around his waist, causing Bolin to become even dizzier. He had to stop to catch his breath, and Opal placed his kisses over his cheeks and nose.

The phone beeped and Mako's voice message came through the speaker.

"Hey bro, and hey Opal if you can hear this. Just wanted to remind you Bolin that you should book your tickets back to school soon before they're taken. See you later."

A cold settled in Bolin's stomach. Opal must have felt it too, because she pulled back and gazed at him, lips swollen and pupils big as the moon.

"When do you go back?" her voice quiet.

"Sunday," Bolin answered. Today was Monday.

They were both silent for a while. Bolin and her hadn't what they were doing, let alone going back. Too be honest, Bolin had almost forgotten that he was on break, and that school loomed in the distance.

"Bolin, what are we doing?"

The tone of Opal's voice scared Bolin. It was less questioning and more…defeated.

"I'm not sure, but we can figure it out," he assured her, stroking her hair.

"Figure what out? I don' even know what this is," she said, pushing them up.

"Well, I kind of thought that we were serious about us. Isn't that how you feel?"

Opal bit her bottom lip.

"I don't…I'm not sure," she admitted.

"What part aren't you sure about? How you feel about me?"

"No, I know exactly how I feel about you," she said, grabbing his hand. "I'm just not sure if this will work. We've only known each other for a week, and Virginia is a quite a ways from Rutgers…"

"So? Long distance relationships work out all the time. I know they're not easy, but it's not impossible."

"Bolin, I like you, I like you more than anyone I've been with, but I don't know what I'm doing with my life. I don't know what path to go down, and I need to figure that out."

"I can't be there for that? Look, I know you Opal. I know that you're looking at this in a practical way. I know that you're brave and intelligent enough to find that out what you want out of life on your own, and I'd like to be there when you figure it out."

"What if it doesn't work? Wouldn't it be better to have had this amazing break and leave it like this, instead of risking a break up down the road?"

"What if we don't break up?"

"We can't know for sure that we won't."

"Yes, but I know for sure that I'll do anything to make sure we don't," Bolin said, taking both of her hands in his. "Opal…I love you."

…

Opal's stomach dropped. She blinked at him a couple of times, trying to wrap her head around what Bolin had confessed. He loved her? How was he so sure?

She fixed her gaze on the paper airplane on the floor. If only this was as simple as constructing a paper airplane. She had always wondered about those three words. Her mother had told her that when you know that you've fallen in love with someone, you just _know _it. This concept created even more concern for her. How could someone just know? What did it feel like? Was it the same feelings she got with Bolin? Did people in love have doubts?

Opal knew that she felt something for Bolin, it was undeniable. But she needed more information. She needed to know what her future held in store before putting Bolin into it. Otherwise it was all just a risk. One that Opal wasn't sure she could handle if it didn't work out.

Bolin waited in silence, Opal not sure what he was expecting her to say. With each passing second, the hurt in his eyes became clearer.

"I'm sorry Bolin, but I don't think I can do this," she finally said. Her throat was thick, and the words felt wrong. Yet she had said them anyways, too late to take back.

For once, Bolin didn't have anything to say. He sat there, his hand loosely falling from hers. Opal forced herself off the sofa. If she stayed here any longer she'd change her mind, and she had never changed her mind after making a decision.

Opal grabbed her purse and jacket from the coat rack, wracking her brain for the proper thing to say in this situation. Nothing came to mind.

Bolin stood up from the couch and shuffled to the door, holding it open for her.

"Thank you," was all she said before walking out. Bolin's silence twisting her heart.

The door clicked shut behind her and Opal hurried down the hall, a race between her and the tears that were starting to fall.

That Friday, Opal got the day off. It was Thanksgiving, and she wanted to help in any way she could. Thanksgiving at the Beifong's was a rather extravagant event. Her parents let the cooks and house hands eat with them, as their parents considered them a part of the family.

Thanksgiving was one of Opal's favorite holidays because of this. She loved it when everyone got together, it reminded her how much she loved being a Beifong.

Despite the break up, Opal was determined to have fun at thanksgiving. The night she had called it off, she had returned home, went to her room, and cried more tears than she thought her body could produce. There had been sleepless nights, wondering if Bolin was awake as well. It killed her to have been the cause of any discomfort that he felt, but she had done the right thing. Right?

Opal tuned these thoughts out as she checked tasks off the list her mom had given her. The day of thanksgiving was spent cleaning and cooking in preparation for the evening, before the guest showed up.

Opal was in the entry foyer when the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" she called.

Secretly, Opal wished it was Bolin, but she wouldn't know what to say if it was.

Taking a deep breath, she swung open the door to see…

"Aunt Lin?"

"Opal," her aunt said. She was about to say something, but then her eyes darted to something behind Opal.

Opal turned her head to see her mom standing behind her.

"Lin?!"

"The amount of shock in both of your faces is a little discerning, but I supposed that's my fault," Lin said.

"Why are you here?" Opal questioned.

"I didn't know this was an interrogation," her aunt said dryly.

"It's not, but I mean, you've never showed up before," Opal said, hoping it didn't come off as rude.

"Well, I was thinking I could change that," she admitted. Lin placed a hand on Opal's shoulder, and the walked past her towards Su.

"I apologize for what happened at the art show. I will pay for any damage I caused, and… I'm hoping you'll have me for dinner?"

Su's jaw dropped, but she quickly shut it as not to offend her sister.

"Of course you can, Lin. We'd be happy to have you."

Lin nodded and gave a tight smile. It was a smile nonetheless. She then turned back to Opal.

"I'm also hoping you'll forgive me as well Opal. I haven't been the most- present aunt, but I want to fix that."

Opal's anger had been building during the conversation. Aunt Lin could show up all of the sudden and expect forgiveness? She couldn't push people who loved her out of the way because she didn't have her issues figured out-

Opal's anger fizzled into realization.

"Of course, I'd like that a lot," she replied.

She hugged Lin before her aunt could do anything. Lin gave her a couple pats on the back, but it was less tense than their last hug. _Progress_ Opal thought.

Maybe this would be a better thanksgiving than she had thought.

Discussions and laughter filled the dinning room that night. The cook had prepared a delicious turkey dinner, with the usual sides of stuffing and mashed potato. Wing and Wei poked fun at Bataar Jr., who had invited Kuvira, one of Su's appurtenances, to dinner. Su had always welcomed Kuvira in their home before, but Opal found it funny that Bataar had been the one to extend the welcome this year.

"You know what I'm thankful for? That you weren't another boy," Bataar mumbled to Opal as the twins flashed inappropriate gestures at Bataar whenever Kuvira wasn't looking.

"They're harmless," she said, scooping cranberry sauce on her plate.

"Yet they know how to get under people's skin. Hey, where's that guy at? Bolin right? Why didn't you invite him?"

Opal set her fork down on her plate, her appetite waning.

"Oh we're not together anymore."

"Seriously? Did he call it off? That idiot," Bataar visibly upset.

"Actually I called it off."

"Really? What happened? Was he being a jerk?" Bataar's protective, brotherly instinct kicking in.

"No. It's just I don't see the point in putting effort into something that I don't know is going anywhere," she explained.

Bataar chuckled. "How do you know it's not going anywhere if you don't give it a chance to start? The fact that he even got you to go out on a date is pretty impressive. I don't remember any other's getting that far."

"Shut up."

"I didn't mean that in a bad way. Your not stupid Opal, but sometimes you worry me. You use that brain of yours often enough that I think you forget when to use your heart."

"I didn't know you gave relationship advice now."

"I don't, but I've known you your whole life and you've never looked at anybody the way you look at him."

Now Opal's appetite was completely gone.

"I just want to do the right thing," she said.

"There's no right or wrong in this case. If you don't want to be with him, that's fine, but if you do then you should be."

"I don't even know what I'm doing with my life, let alone becoming apart of someone else's."

Bataar shook his head.

"Opal, _no _one at your age knows what they're doing with their life. It's all a process of trial and error. And whether you like it or not, there's going to be plenty of error in it."

"That's easy for you to say. You have architecture, Wing and Wei have baseball, and Huan has art. What do I have? Sure I read, but there's billions of people that read."

"I didn't always think of architecture as my future. You know how many times Huan has sworn he'll never pick up a paintbrush again? More than I can keep tack of. And Wing and Wei have lost enough games to doubt their ability, and pro sports isn't what people call a steady job. Even our own mother ran off to the circus because she didn't have a clue what she was doing. You think you're the only Beifong that didn't know what they wanted out of life? Look around sis, I think you fit right in."

Opal didn't have a witty comeback for that one.

"I won't tell you what to do about Bolin, but I don't think it's healthy to push people out of your life that are willing to support you while you live it," Bataar finished, stuffing his mouth with potatoes.

"Have you ever thought about motivational speaking?" Opal joked.

"All the time."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Taking Flight

The next day, a knock sounded outside of apartment 4B. Opal nervously chewed her lip, having gone through the conversation a thousand times, but she still wasn't sure what to say.

Mako opened the door, surprised to see Opal.

"Mako! I hope you guys had a nice thanksgiving. Is Bolin here?"

Mako frowned. "I'm sorry Opal, but I just dropped off Bolin at the airport."

"Airport? I thought he was supposed to leave tomorrow?"

"He bumped it up to today. Said he felt like he should head back early to get started on studies. He's never said that before so I let him go."

"What time does his plane leave?"

"Half an hour? If your hurry you should catch him before the plane takes off."

"Wonderful! Thank you Mako!" Opal hugged him out of gratefulness and took off down the hallway.

"Whatever Bolin did I hope he didn't screw it up too much," Mako told Pabu.

The dog sighed in agreement before chewing on the paper airplane he'd found.

…

Bolin ignored the dirty looks from the old man sitting across from him. Yes, he was fully aware that his headphones were too loud. Did he care? Absolutely not.

The plane boarded in ten minutes. Bolin prayed that the flight would go smoothly, not sure if he could handle turbulence after the week he had. He didn't reveal to Mako what had happened that night. He wanted to focus on their thanksgiving together. When the turkey only served two, you had to keep the day as joyful as possible to make it feel like a real holiday.

He'd held it in around Mako, but the nights were restless. He cried. He cried more than he'd like to admit. Bolin knew he was more emotional than his brother, but he couldn't help feel pathetic for the way he acted. It was one thing to cry after a relationship ended, but was what he and Opal had even a relationship? He had thought so, and stupidly confessed his love to her. She didn't see it like that though. She didn't see him that way.

The sleepless nights left him numb. Worse yet, his shirts and sweatshirts smelled like her. He thought maybe it calm him on the flight back to college, but it was just replacing anxiety with bitterness. How could he have been so thick? Of course she didn't feel that way. They knew each for a week, and weren't breaks known for having flings? You met someone, had fun, and then went your own merry way. Opal had felt more than just a fling to him though.

_There's nothing you can do about that though _Bolin thought.

"Now boarding all zone one passengers. Zone one passengers," the attendant behind the desk announced. Bolin was zone three.

He closed his eyes, seeing her face behind his lids.

"Bolin?"

_Oh great, now I'm hearing her voice too._

"Bolin!"

He opened his eyes. He wasn't going crazy. Opal was standing in front of him.

"Opal?! What are you doing here?" he asked, ripping his headphones off.

"Apologizing," she said, looking at the floor.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, it was too soon. I know you don't feel the same, and I don't want to freak you out-"

"I do though! I do feel the same way. I just was afraid to admit it," she interrupted.

"Look, you don't have to say that. I don't want you to feel sorry for me."

"I'm not just saying it to make you feel better. Sorry, but I'm not that kind of person," Opal said, more forcefully this time. "I love you. I want to make this work. I don't want you to get on that plane thinking we'll never see each other again."

Bolin stared at her. "You- you love me?"

"Yes. I do," she let out an airy laugh. "This is so cliché I know. Chasing you down in the airport to tell you I love you. I tried to stop by the apartment but Mako told me you were leaving earlier and I just _had_ to tell you-"

Bolin kissed her mid sentence. He held her face and kissed her until she was breathless.

They broke away, Bolin gazing into those emerald green eyes. The eyes that looked like coming home.

"Zone three passengers are now allowed to board."

Bolin's shoulders slumped. "I have to get on this plane."

"And when you land you can call me. We'll work this out. I want to be with you," Opal said.

Bolin hugged her tight, dropping his head onto her shoulder. He held her until the numbness was gone.

"I'm going to miss you," he whispered.

"Winter break isn't too far away," she said sweetly.

He kissed her forehead once last time before handing the attendant his ticket. Opal waved goodbye as he disappeared behind the door.

Bolin heart was miles above the clouds, higher than any plane could take him. And you know what? He wasn't so scared of flying anymore.


End file.
